Come Often, Drink Deeply

Friend to Friend We all come into the world thirsty. From the time my son made his first cry in the delivery room, he began rooting around for something to drink. God planned it that way. Our bodies are 50 to 60 percent water and must be replenished continuously. When we go without water, our skin grows clammy, our eyes become scratchy and our head starts to pound. We need water to keep our mouths moist enough to swallow, our vital organs plump enough to function, and our joints lubricated enough to flex. One week without water and we simply dry up and die.

We also come into the world spiritually thirsty. From the time we are cut loose from our mother’s nourishing umbilical cord, we begin our journey to discovering the living water to satisfy the soul. Oh, we don’t know it yet. But God has placed this desire in each and every one of his image bearers. Until we meet Jesus at the well, we fumble about trying to quench the God-given thirst with anything and anyone who offers temporary relief. But it is just that…temporary.

It is only in a relationship with Jesus that we discover what Peter Kreft in Three Philosophies of Life called, “the ultimate purpose for which we were created, the meeting and marriage between ourselves and God…the highest and holiest and happiest hope of the human heart, the thing we were all born hungering (and thirsting) for, hunting for, longing for.”

The Samaritan woman at the well we read about in John chapter 4 had tried drinking from many shallow streams. She had been married five times and the man she was living with when she encountered Jesus was not her husband. But they had all left her thirsty for more – or at least for something different. Jesus offered her freely flowing, resplendently refreshing water; water that bubbles up from the indwelling Holy Spirit and quenches every thirst, washes away every sin, and flows into every nook and cranny of our beings. He invites us to come often and drink deeply.

I live on a beautiful lake. I can look at the lake, swim in the lake and even stand in the lake…and still die of thirst. The only way for the water to enter my system is to scoop it up and drink.

Likewise, we can read about Jesus, listen to sermons about Jesus, and even believe that He was a good man. But until we actually believe that Jesus is God’s Son, the Messiah, who died for our sins and rose again…until we partake of Jesus and make Him Lord of our lives, we will remain thirsty.

And our woman at the well? She accepted the invitation. She believed! She left the water jug right at Jesus’ feet. She didn’t need it anymore. After all, she found what she had been looking for her entire life.

Let’s Pray Dear LORD, Oh how I praise You for Your living water. I come to You thirsty and I will drink deeply from Your Word. Thank You for giving me Your Word that I can read every day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn We all come into the world spiritually thirsty. What are some ways that people try to quench that spiritual thirst other than with Jesus?

What are some ways that you have tried to quench that God-given thirst other than with Jesus?

When is the last time you spent time drinking deeply from God’s Word? How about spending an extended time with Him today? You’ve got a great start!

More from the Girlfriends Today’s devotion was taken from Sharon’s new book, What God Really Thinks about Women: Finding Your Significance through the Women Jesus Encountered.We tend to read the gospels with our twenty-first century eyes. But when we understand how oppressive the culture Jesus stepped into was against women, we begin to understand just how radical Jesus’ ministry, messages, and miracles were at setting women free. He risked His reputation to save theirs…and yours. Read this book and you’ll fall in love with Jesus all over again. There’s also a companion Bible Study Guide for those who want to learn more.